As the components required to build a computer system have reduced in size, new categories of computer systems have emerged. One of the new categories of computer systems is the “palmtop” computer system. A palmtop computer system is a computer that is small enough to be held in the hand of a user. Most palmtop computer systems are used to implement various Personal Information Device (PD) applications such as an address book, a daily organizer, and electronic notepads.
Personal Information Devices include the class of computers, personal digital assistants and electronic organizers that tend both to be physically smaller than conventional computers and to have more limited hardware and data processing capabilities. PIDs include, for example, products sold by Palm, Inc. of Santa Clara, Calif., under such trademark as Pilot, and Pilot 1000, Pilot 5000, PalmPilot, PahnPilot Personal, PalmPilot Professional, Palm, and Palm III, Palm V, Palm WI, as well as other products sold under such trade names as WorkPad, Franklin Quest, and Franklin Convey.
PIDs are generally discussed, for example, in U. S. Pat. Nos. 5,125,0398; 5,727,202; 5,832,489; 5,884,323; 5,889,888; 5,900,875; 6,000,000; 6,006,274; and 6,034,686, which are incorporated herein by reference. PIDs typically include a screen and data processor, allowing the PID user to operate a substantial variety of applications relating to, for example: electronic mail, a calendar, appointments, contact data (such as address and telephone numbers), notebook records, expense reports, to do lists, or games. PIDs also often include substantial electronic memory for storing such applications as well as data entered by the user. Due to their substantial variety of applications and uses, personal information devices are becoming increasingly widely used.
The use of subscriber identification module (SIM) cards in portable hand-held devices, such as PIDs or cellular phones, is a requirement for any GSM enabled device. In a GSM cellular phone, the SIM card is typically used for billing and security. The SIM card may also be used for storing operational data such as a phone book, small programs, and/or quick dial numbers. With a SIM card, a user can operate various phones and still retain, for example, a single billable account. As PIDs incorporate GSM radio capabilities, they will assume the roles and applications of cellular telephones. These same capabilities (e.g., phone book, billing information, etc.) are provided by incorporating SIM cards into the PIDs. The SIM card thus eliminates the need to reprogram information (e.g., phone numbers, addresses, etc.) and enables a single billable customer account for multiple SIM card enabled devices.
In prior art mechanisms, the SIM card is typically mounted in the housing of the hand-held device and secured with a latching assembly. Various latching assemblies are known, however, they typically contain two or more distinct components. When the SIM card is located in a cosmetic region of the phone, a door is typically used to access the SIM card. A separate latching mechanism is integrated into the SIM connector to securely hold the SIM card. In this arrangement, the user must open the door and then unlatch the card by sliding a locking mechanism and/or rotating the lock to gain access to the SIM card. This manipulation can be very difficult due to the small parts and intricate areas involved. These integrated SIM latching connectors also require excessive amounts of PCB (printed circuit board) space, which also makes them a less attractive solution.
Other prior art mechanisms implement a SIM connector snapped into the rear housing of a hand-held device, or fixed directly to the device's printed circuit board (PCB) with a SIM card door for preventing the SIM card from falling out of the device. For example, when the door is open, the SIM card can be removed by simply turning the phone upside-down and allowing the SIM card to fall out. In this arrangement, a confining apparatus must be included to properly confine the SIM card in place. This confining “well” adds size and area to the SIM connector (e.g., consuming excessive amounts of PCB area), and allows the SIM card to simply fall out if the hand-held device is inadvertently turned upside-down with the door open.
Thus, what is required is a solution that eliminates the requirement for a separate latching mechanism integrated into a SIM connector. The required solution should facilitate easy operation by a user. The required solution should require a minimum amount of PCB (printed circuit board) area for mounting a SIM connector. The required solution should securely hold a SIM card when in an open position to prevent inadvertently losing the SIM card. The required solution should be intuitive and compatible with typical hand-held device cases with which users have become familiar. The present invention provides a novel solution to the above requirements.